


Drinking Me Lonely

by ssa_archivist



Category: Smallville
Genre: Angst, Drama, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-11-25
Updated: 2006-11-25
Packaged: 2017-11-01 06:03:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,661
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/352850
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ssa_archivist/pseuds/ssa_archivist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lex learns that he is a country music cliche.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Drinking Me Lonely

## Drinking Me Lonely

by sparkin

<http://community.livejournal.com/sparkins_fics/>

* * *

Summary: Lex learns that he is a country music cliche. 

Disclaimer: I own nothing except my soul. Oh hell, who am I kidding? I sold that years ago for two bottles of Diet Coke and some Mentos. 

Authors Notes: This story is kind of a song fic. It's not completely a song fic, but there's enough of it in there. The song is Chris Young's "Drinking Me Lonely." 

* * *

Well this is a first. Lex had been to many bars in his life, from the most exclusive night clubs in Morocco, to the biggest dives in Hong Kong, but this was the first time he had ever been in _The Wild Coyote_ , one of Smallville's two bars. How did a town of 45,000 people only have two bars? Sorry, make that a town of 45,001. Mustn't let him forget that he will always be an outsider in this town, no matter how much he tries to do for it. 

Normally he could just drink in peace at home, but not today. Oh no, Clark had seen to that. The boy had smashed every liquor bottle in the mansion - including all of the vintage wines in his cellar. The town's single liquor store was closed. Of course. So here he was. In _The Wild Coyote_. With half the occupants giving him suspicious looks. Damn Clark. 

Lex knew he really shouldn't be there. He employed most of the people in the room. Getting shit-faced in front of them probably wasn't a good idea, but at the moment, he really couldn't bring himself to care. It was all Clark's fault anyway. 

"Go to hell, Clark," he muttered. 

For a kid that grew up in a family where money was tight, he seemed to have no problem smashing other people's stuff. Lex's in particular. 

Today had started out pretty routinely: board meeting in Metropolis this morning, helicopter ride back to Smallville, phone call from Lionel berating him for something or other around noon, three crises at the plant this afternoon, and Clark burst into his office in the evening to hurl accusations and lecture him. Pretty standard day. But it wasn't the normal lecture today. 

Today when the boy burst through the French doors (and why did everyone throw both doors open anyway? Was it too much to ask that they use just one door?) he wasn't lecturing about shady business practices or dubious associates. No, today he accused Lex of being an alcoholic. 

Lex hadn't quite known how to respond to that. He was used to defending his questionable business dealings, but he'd never had to defend his personal life to Clark before. So he'd shut down and attacked Clark back. It was the only thing he could think to do. 

He'd belittled Clark's age, talked to him like he was child, saying that Clark would understand when he was older. Clark didn't turn 21 for another year, so Lex sneered at him and told him to talk to him when Clark was legally old enough to drink 

That had led to Clark smashing all of the liquor and storming out. Which led to Lex drinking cheap whiskey in _The Wild Coyote_. 

"Bloody drama queen," he mumbled into his glass. 

Someone had turned on the juke box and it was now playing depressing country songs. Just perfect. Because he wasn't miserable enough. 

Not having anything better to do, Lex listened to the lyrics. 

_I_ ' _m pushing you away each time I pull up that old bar stool_ _Drownin_ ' _you in every drop I drink_  
 _Telling you to go to hell but I_ ' _m talking to myself_ _Cause you_ ' _re not around to hear what I think_

Lex looked around suspiciously. Had someone heard him muttering to himself about Clark and specifically played this song? 

_Trying to teach my heart to hate you but it aint working right_ _Now the truth is I_ ' _m only drinkin_ ' _me lonely tonight_

Damn, the song was right. No matter how much Lex had tried to make himself hate Clark, he just couldn't do it. He'd been in love with the younger man for years but he knew his feelings would never be reciprocated. He'd tried to bury those feelings first under friendship and later under anger and resentment, but it didn't work. Lex was still in love with him. 

_You said I_ ' _d have to choose between your love and this old bar room_ _I just laughed but I guess you knew best_ _Who cares who_ ' _s right or wrong tonight my better half is gone_ _And this whiskey_ ' _s layin_ ' _claim to all that_ ' _s left_

Christ, he was a country music cliche. And he hadn't even gotten to have the relationship with Clark first. Well if he was going to be a country music cliche, he should probably get himself a pickup truck just so he could drive it into a ditch or something. Isn't that what always happened in country music? He still had the truck he tried to give Clark all those years ago. Maybe that would count. 

_So I_ ' _ll just order up another and pretend I_ ' _m alright_ _When the truth is I_ ' _m only drinkin_ ' _me lonely tonight_

Order up another? That sounded like a fantastic idea. 

"I'll have another," he called to the bartender. "A double," he added. 

"I think you've had enough there, son." 

Lex stared at the man. Was he serious? This guy was actually cutting him off? Lex couldn't remember being cut off since... well, ever. He either drank at home or in a bar where they knew better than to try to cut Lex _Luthor_ off. 

The bartender seemed as serious as a heart attack. Just few years ago Lex would have had no problem with ruining this man's life for ruining his night, but this was Smallville and for some reason Lex still wanted the townspeople to like him. Fine. Lex could always go to the other bar in town. He paid his tab, got to his feet and pulled out the keys to his newest Porsche. 

"Hold on there, son," the bartender said. "I can't let you get behind the wheel in the condition you're in. You could kill someone." 

Damn. 

"Let me call you a cab." 

Lex just shrugged and sat down again. He was far past the point of caring by now. 

A few minutes later the bartender came back looking a little sheepish. "I'm afraid one cab is in the shop, one is on its way to Metropolis, and the last one just mysteriously blew up." 

"Of course it did. This is Smallville. Why wouldn't a cab just mysteriously blow up?" Lex sneered. "Wait. There are only three taxis in the entire town?" he asked incredulously. 

The bartender stiffened. "Most of the people around here have friends they can call. Or they don't get so drunk that they can't drive," he said with a scowl. "Don't you have anyone up there at that castle of yours who can come pick you up?" 

Lex sighed. "No. I gave everyone the weekend off. Well everyone except Edmund. I tried to give him a weekend off once. He thought it meant that I was unhappy with his work and tried to tender his resignation. I only managed to keep him because I promised I would never offer him another day off that he hadn't asked for. He has standards you know. He was trained by Alfred Pennyworth himself." Lex realised that he was rambling and quickly shut his mouth. 

"Okay, so can this Edmund come and get you?" the bartender asked. 

Lex snorted. Actually snorted! "Not a chance. The last time he went for his driver's license he failed in the first 2 minutes. The tester freaked out when he started driving on the wrong side of the road. He's British, you know." He was rambling again. 

"Don't you have some fancy chauffeur or something?" the bartender was starting to get desperate. 

"I gave him the weekend off too. He's spending it with his family in Grandville," Lex answered. 

The bartender looked ready to explode. "There must be _someone_ who can come and get - wait. Aren't you friends with the Kent boy?" 

"Ha, friends. We were once. I don't know what we are anymore. Besides, he wouldn't want to come pick me up here. He thinks I drink too much," Lex laughed humourlessly. 

"Well it looks like it's either the Kent boy or I call the sheriff and you can spend the night in the drunk tank." 

Oh, his father would just love that. The tabloids too. It was almost enough to make him want to do it. But he had a corporation to look after now. It wouldn't look good for the CEO to spend the night in jail. 

Lex let out a defeated sigh. "Call Clark." 

* * *

Clark looked pissed when he drove up in his parent's old pickup. "Get in," he snarled. 

"But my car... I can't just leave it." 

"That thing has more security on it than Smallville Savings and Loan. Plus, it's kind of distinctive. Anyone who sees it will know it's yours. It's not going to be stolen." 

"Fine." He could always buy another if need be. 

The ride back to the castle was completed in suffocating, awkward silence. When they got to the castle Clark wouldn't even look at him. He had a death grip on the steeling wheel and stared straight ahead when he said "I'll come back tomorrow so you can get your car." 

Lex had had enough. "Jesus, Clark! Would you stop sulking like a child and just look at me?!" 

Clark stared at Lex like the man had grown a second head. "You're calling _me_ immature? I just came out here in the middle of the night to pick you up because you were too drunk off your ass, and you're calling _me_ immature! That's rich. 

"What was this, Lex?" the younger man continued. "Were you trying to prove a point? Trying to make sure that I understood that you don't care what I think? Well consider the message received!" 

"What? Where the hell did you get that from?" 

"What else am I supposed to think? I tell you that I'm worried about how much you drink, and in response you go out and get pissed drunk. For what? Just to spite me?" 

"What does it matter if I like to drink? I'm not hurting anyone else, so why does it matter? I'd think you'd be happy that for once it's only myself that I'm hurting." Lex spat bitterly. 

"It matters because you're better than this, Lex! How many times will your father poison your alcohol before you finally get it? You're using it as a crutch and you're stronger than this. You use it to escape your father but it just makes you care less. It makes you more like him. I know you, Lex. I know you aren't like him. I know that you're better than him, so I can't just sit by and watch you do this to yourself. I can't watch you screw up your life." 

Lex felt like he'd been punched in the stomach. Clark thought he was becoming more like Lionel? But Clark didn't want him to be. He thought Lex was better. Why? 

"We're barely even friends anymore Clark. Why do you even care if I screw up my life?" Lex asked quietly. 

Clark let out a bark of laughter that had no humour in it. "And Chloe called _me_ clueless for not figuring this out earlier. You know, for a genius, you can be really dense sometimes. Why do I care, Lex? I care because I don't date drunks." 

The next thing that Lex registered was Clark kissing him. Soft lips against his, and warm hands on either side of his face. Then the lips were gone and Clark had gotten into his truck and driven off. 

Lex stared after him, dumbfounded. For a man that prided himself on always knowing what to say, it was disconcerting to be at a complete loss for words. Even Lex's brain seemed slower than usual, but that could have been the alcohol. Whatever the reason, it was taking a very long time to process. 

Clark kissed me. Clark's gay? He kissed me. He doesn't date drunks, but he kissed me. He wants to date me? But not if I'm drinking. And he kissed me. 

Lex felt a little overwhelmed. He needed a drin- no. He needed coffee. Yes. Lots and lots of coffee. 

* * *

Lex waited outside for Clark the next morning. When he saw the truck come around the corner he felt his heart jump up into his throat. 

"Get it together, Luthor," he whispered to himself. "He's more afraid of you than you are of him... or is that bears?" He shook his head trying to clear it. 

When a very nervous-looking Clark pulled up Lex asked "Would you like to come inside? I think we need to talk." 

Clark blew out his breath in a rush. "Yeah, okay. That's probably a good idea." 

They walked to Lex's office in nervous silence, both lost their own thoughts. Finally Lex broke the silence. "Last night you indicated that you wished to pursue a relationship with me. A romantic one." 

Clark gave a half-smile. "Can't you just say it Lex? Yeah, I want to date you. I want to see if we could work." 

Lex couldn't help it. When he got nervous he went into business-mode. "Yes well, you also placed a restriction on said relationship. This relationship would be conditional upon me refraining from imbibing alcohol, correct?" 

"Yes," Clark was very firm on this point. 

"Then I wanted to let you know that I accept your offer and the condition." His cool demeanour faltered, "I can do that, Clark. I've stopped drinking." 

He was treated to a blinding, patented Clark Kent smile. God, he loved that smile. But Lex wasn't done yet. "However, I have one condition of my own. You don't date drunks, and I don't date liars." 

Clark swallowed convulsively, but nodded. "I can do that, Lex." 

Lex blinked. He hadn't expected it to go quite that easily. His best-case scenario had Clark asking for time to think about it. 

Clark was still speaking "-wanted to tell you for so long. I'll tell you everything. Lex, I'm an-" 

"Jesus, Clark! I didn't mean you had to tell me everything right now! I just want to know that you _will_ tell me. Some day. When you're ready. For now I just want you to stop treating me like an idiot. If you can't tell me something, then just tell that you can't. Don't make up idiotic excuses that a 6 year old can see through." 

Another nod. "Okay, Lex. I can do that." 

"And when you _do_ tell me, for God's sake, don't do it in the mansion. My father could have it bugged again. Jesus, how did you ever manage to keep your secret this long? Don't scare me like that Clark." 

The younger man just blushed and grinned. After a pause Clark asked, "So... are we dating then?" 

"No." 

Clark's smile fell. Lex wanted to kick himself for doing that. "I just meant that in order to be dating we have to actually go out on a date. We haven't done that yet." 

Clark's smile was back. Lex wanted to devote the rest of his life to keeping that smile on his face. 

"Then will you go out with me? We could maybe ... um ... go for a picnic this afternoon?" Clark looked so hopeful when he asked. 

Lex smiled and answered: "On just one more condition: kiss me again. Please?" 

Clark's grin grew even bigger and in three quick steps he was across the room and kissing Lex like his life depended on it. 

_End_


End file.
